There’s another side to Rio waiting to be explored. The city’s central district is a great place to start your journey of discovery.

Rio de Janeiro is known around the world for sun, sand, samba and soccer (or futebol, as the locals say). But look beyond the clichés and the 451-year-old city offers far more than first meets the eye.

Though perhaps lacking the iconic status of Ipanema and Copacabana amongst visitors, the city’s central district offers a wealth of history and carioca charm to those willing to venture off the golden sands. It’s a dynamic commercial and business centre, as well as being home to many of Rio’s most traditional bars and restaurants.

Indeed, few city centres come close to downtown Rio de Janeiro for sheer variety. In less than six square kilometres, you’ll find the cradle of Brazilian nationhood, magnificent architecture and splendid churches, botecos (bars) brimming with character and culture on every corner.

To appreciate Rio’s past is to begin to understand Rio beyond the beach. From its foundation in 1565, the city rose to become capital of the Brazilian colony in 1763 and then the seat of the Portuguese empire in 1808, as the Napoleonic Wars in Europe saw the Portuguese royal family flee their homeland.

The arrival of these royal refugees ushered in a golden age for Rio de Janeiro, as it became the only capital city of a European empire located on a different continent.

For 13 years, Brazil was the seat of an imperial power spanning territories around the globe. After King João VI returned to Lisbon, his son, Dom Pedro, declared Brazil to be independent in 1822.

His successor Dom Pedro II then reigned until the establishment of the first Brazilian Republic in 1889. The elevation of Rio de Janeiro from colonial outpost to imperial capital saw the construction of numerous magnificent buildings, many of which survive today, attesting to the scale of its rulers’ ambition – to build a modern capital in the opulent European style.

Though no longer part of the nation’s capital (since 1960, that honour has belonged to Brasilia) downtown Rio, known as Centro in Portuguese, is home to many of the country’s most ornate churches and much stunning architecture. To this day, this region of town remains an important centre for business and commerce.

Currently undergoing a major period of revitalisation, downtown Rio showcases more than 450 years of Brazilian history while looking to the future, literally so in the case of the latest ambitious project to come to life – the Museum of Tomorrow, part of the renovated port area.

Source: rio2016.com